Projects: Extra Large Office

Edie Cohen -- Interior Design, 12/1/2011 2:00:00 AM

Winner: Clive Wilkinson Architects
Project: Maquarie Group
Location: London

Solid and serious on one side, dynamic and innovative on the other, Clive Wilkinson knows how to walk a fine line. The Interior Design Hall of Fame member did just that in London, where the Macquarie Group had staked out 216,000 square feet on six levels of a spanking-new LEED Platinum building by Arup. He also knows how to amuse himself. "It was great fun to bash through the dark center of those large floor plates," he says. Then he partially filled in the void with a zigzagging crimson staircase, affectionately dubbed the "ribbon of connectivity," and built catwalks from steel beams left over from interior demolition. Minimal walls and a pervasive Wi-Fi network promote laptop use, and much of the planning centered on shared spaces. He provided a slew of them, accessible to the entire staff. Arrayed around the atrium, meeting rooms have clear glass fronts suggesting a greater political message. "Financial services need to be as transparent as possible," he says. "Held accountable."

Merit: Gensler
Project: Nokia

Location: Sunnyvale, California

Scandinavian cool meets Silicon Valley sun via pale wood, Marimekko-esque banners, and vibrant color-coding for the five levels.

Merit: Architecture + Information
Project: Horizon Media

Location: New York

A wide stairway and spalted-maple seating landscapes increase visibility and sociability at this advertising and marketing agency.

Merit: Gensler
Project: Proskauer

Location: New York

With Rodolfo Dordoni and Christian Liaigre seating, plus blue-chip art, this law practice is dressed up to rival a luxury hotel.